Magazine of the Bible Sabbath Association (BSA)

Constantine – March, 321 AD

In March 321 AD, Constantine approved the “day of the sun” as a day of rest for the Western Roman Empire (at this time, he did not control the Eastern Empire). This was not to honor the Hebrew God or to honor Jesus Christ, but to honor the sun god. It was a civil day of rest. We read this in the Codex Justinian.

“All judges, city dwellers, skill workers, and the offices of all should honor the venerable day of the sun and rest. However, those placed in the country freely serve the fields of culture, because it often happens that no other better on corn grains or vineyard transplant recommended that lost an important opportunity to benefit from the heavenly provision granted.” (Codex Justinian 3.12.2: Imperator Constantinus)

In the Latin, the phrase translated as “venerable day of the sun” is venerabili die solis. Constantine’s decision was based upon honoring and esteeming the celestial body we call the sun. The Mithras cult was a favorite for Roman Emperors, especially Constantine. Sunday was a day honored by worshippers of Mithras for centuries prior to this time (Encyclopedia Britannica “Mithras”, Cath. Encycl. “Constantine the Great”). Notice in Constantine’s decree that farmers were not allowed this day off of work.

The God of the Holy Bible commanded Sabbath (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) off for all people, regardless of their occupation. This command extends even to farmers in their busiest seasons (Ex. 34:21).

While Constantine’s decree did not change the Sabbath, it created a false, civil day of rest beside the true day of rest.

The Catholic Encyclopedia states:“…many of the emperors yielded to the delusion that they could unite all their subjects in the adoration of the one sun-god who combined in himself the Father-God of the Christians and the much-worshipped Mithras; thus the empire could be founded anew on unity of religion. Even Constantine, as will be shown farther on, for a time cherished this mistaken belief…. Many other actions of his also have the appearance of half-measures, as if he-himself had wavered and had always held in reality to some form of syncretistic religion…” (Article: Constantine the Great)

Constantine took other measures to impose a state-controlled religion, but this is one example of how people began to change God’s sacred timing.

Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time